NFL announces big plans for draft in Las Vegas

Three-day event will include partial closure of Strip

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NFL

An artist rendering of the NFL Draft grounds from above in Las Vegas. The draft will be held April 23-25.

Published Tue, Jan 21, 2020 (11:19 a.m.)

Updated Tue, Jan 21, 2020 (3:55 p.m.)

NFL Draft Renderings

An artists rendering of the NFL Draft main stage in Las Vegas. The draft will be held April 23 through 25. Courtesy of the NFL Launch slideshow »

NFL draft prospects will arrive by boat and be introduced on a stage at the Fountains of Bellagio, a league official said today as he detailed plans for the three-day event that include closing parts of the Strip and Flamingo Road.

The NFL Draft, which is set for April 23 through 25 in Las Vegas, is expected to bring upwards of 350,000 visitors a day to the Strip, tourism officials said. By comparison, New Year’s Eve — which also closes Las Vegas Boulevard — brings about 300,000 visitors.

Last year’s draft created a $224 million economic impact for Nashville, Tenn., where 600,000 people attended the event over three days. The next challenge for the NFL is topping it.

“How are we going to make it bigger and how are we going to make it better?” Jon Barker, head of live events for the NFL, told Clark County commissioners.

Las Vegas knows how to put on special events, he said. “That’s why we’re excited to be here,” he said.

The draft is coming to Las Vegas as the Raiders prepare to embark on their first season at the under-construction Allegiant Stadium.

"The driving factor for the league selecting Las Vegas to host the 2020 draft is the Raiders (and the NFL) entering the market and the Raiders playing their first game there just months later," said Peter O'Reilly, the NFL's executive vice president of club business and league events.

"The draft is an incredible way to help make a splash in the Raiders’ new home, and while we won’t host the draft itself at the stadium, we’re working closely with the Raiders to highlight Allegiant Stadium both locally and nationally during each day of the draft," O'Reilly said.

The celebration — at the NFL Draft red carpet, main stage and NFL Draft Experience — will include immersive activities, live entertainment and performances, the league said. All events are free and open to the public.

The main stage will be next to the Caesars Forum conference center, where fans can watch the draft selections, officials said. The Raiders have seven picks in the draft, including five in the initial three rounds. They pick No. 12 and No. 19 in the first round, which will be conducted April 23.

The main stage will also host daily performances by headlining acts throughout the draft, officials said.

Located next to the main stage, the NFL Draft Experience is a free, three-day football festival highlighted by events including interactive games, a Vince Lombardi Trophy display and autograph sessions with NFL players and legends.

During the event, the Strip will be closed in both directions from Flamingo Road to the entrance of Paris Las Vegas, and Flamingo will be shut down from Koval Lane to the Strip. Commissioners today approved the closures on a 7-0 vote.

There will also be road closures prior to the draft to set up the stages, said Ben Blocker, executive producer for events company C3 Presents. Throughout the production, all resorts will remain open and accessible for patrons and employees, he said.

“We’ve done our best to think through all the scenarios,” Blocker said.

Steve Hill, CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said Las Vegas hopes to benefit from Nashville’s experience hosting the draft.

“Nashville was really helpful in showing us every step of the way and the nuts and bolts of how to make that event work,” Hill said.

Raiders President Marc Badain said Las Vegas has established itself as a big-league sports town and has plenty of experience hosting big events.

“Go back a decade when they hosted large-scale boxing events, but now you’re seeing that evolution of the teams coming here. I think we’re really on the cusp of turning this into the sports and entertainment capital of the world,” Badain said.

Clark County Commissioner Larry Brown called the partnership between Vegas and the NFL a “match made in heaven.”

He said the draft will be a great event for locals. “This is their town, and this event is going to bring something that’s never been seen before. They’re going to be part of it,” he said.

The draft has continued to grow over the years, moving in 2015 from its longtime home of New York to Chicago. It’s also been held in Philadelphia, Dallas and Nashville.

“The success of the planning and execution of draft relies heavily on the support and enthusiasm of the local leadership and communities,” O'Reilly said. “Fortunately, we have had exceptional partners along the way to help us grow the draft to what it is today. Las Vegas is no different. This is a city that understands the importance of attracting and delivering large-scale events and has a talented team in place to help support those efforts.”

The draft gives NFL-hungry fans a week to get excited about the future of their teams.

A combined 47.5 million watched the draft last year on the ESPN family of networks. This year, all three days of the draft will be broadcast by a combination of the NFL Network, ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ABC, including two nights of prime-time coverage.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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